Safe House
by PercyJacksonLover14
Summary: Pepper felt a prickle of something, or someone, following her. It wasn't until a week later she realized that he was out to get her, or maybe even kill her. It was up to Tony to keep her safe. And Pepper hopes for her life, he can keep her safe. Requested by Haytar96! :D
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

**Another requested stories! I wanted to get them out, I don't like holding back anymore… any requests that people have in mind, share them with me and I am going to get them out very soon! **

** Anyhoo…. Here you go Haytar96! **

**Disclaimer: This is killing my self-esteem….**

It was terribly cold outside. Freezing almost… Pepper wrapped the small cotton coat around her tighter. She breathed out a puff of air and rubbed her arms, hoping to warm them up. It was dark outside, the sun was setting making purple and blue hues across the dark sky. It may be summer, but at night New York got really cold.

Suddenly, in the dark empty sidewalk, Pepper felt a presence behind her. She turned around and scanned the empty sidewalk. The street lamps casted a ghostly glow on the sidewalk. Pepper stood right underneath one. There was not a single car, or pedestrian on the street with her.

Pepper wrapped her arms closer around her, covering up her chest. She then broke into a run. She knew where she should go, the safest place in the world.

The wind cut into her skin. The coat bared useless as she sprinted down the sidewalk. The person behind her was also running, because she could hear echoing steps behind her. Whenever she had to stop for some breath, the presence stopped too.

The cold air burned her lungs as lights of the armory caught her attention. The presence was gone, but Pepper knew better. She knew this presence. In fact, she had felt the same one before last week.

_"Bye guys!" Pepper waved as she parted from school. Tony and Rhodey smiled at her, and Tony gave her his signature wink. With a smile, Pepper turned away and headed towards 35__th__ street, her home street._

_ Pepper's dad had left on his mission about a week ago. Pepper was left alone at home as usual, something she was used to. Typically, Tony and Rhodey would walk her home, but Tony had an appointment for his heart, and Rhodey had to help him mom pack for trip to visit his father. _

_ With every skip, Pepper let out a small laugh. She began humming a rhythm to herself. It was a Friday, so obviously she would be overly excited. Suddenly she stopped. There was someone behind her, she knew. There was a strange tingle sensation on her neck, the same one she got when her mother had been murdered from behind. _

_ "Hello?" Pepper called. She noticed no one behind her. And in order to escape a heist or a random kidnap, she sprinted to her apartment. _

_ She dug for her keys in her coat pocket. Once her fingers wrapped around the small metal, she tried sticking it into the keyhole, but with the fear in her heart, the key trembled in her hands. She finally managed to stick it into the hole. And with a desperate urge she shoved open the door and ran into her apartment. Shutting the door behind her, she locked it and ran into her room. With a small shiver she exhaled out a sigh._

The armory was thankfully still on, meaning Tony was inside. Running through the front doors she ran inside before running into Tony. He let out a grunt before grabbing her shoulders to steady her.

"Pepper? Hey… Pepper look at me. What's wrong? You look pale. You okay?" Tony held her firmly by the shoulders and shook her. Pepper looked back at the entrance of the armory, and then focused back on Tony.

"What? Oh I'm okay!" Pepper said, forcing on a smile. Tony suddenly glared at her. He lifted up his thumb and ran it on the underside of her eyes. When he removed his thumb, he showed it to her. On his thumb there was a stray tear on it.

"That doesn't make it okay. Pepper what's wrong? Is it your dad?" Tony asked suddenly serious. Her father had been gone for a long time, a couple of week's maybe. Tony knew how Pepper felt about her father. If anything happened to him, she would become something like this. Whether it was a sprained ankle, gun wound, or something, Pepper would look as though she had seen a ghost.

"No… Tony… I-I think I'm being followed." Pepper sounded dumb even to herself. It sounded as though she was reading a book, or a sentence on an article. There was no way Tony would believe her.

But Tony did. His arms fell to his sides, and he said, "Computer, put the armory in lock down mode." Instantly, the armory's entrances and exits sealed shut with a tight metal door. "Who? Who's following you? WHO PEPPER?" Tony was serious, dead serious.

"I don't know. Tony, I mean well it happened like a week ago." She responded. She had no idea what happened next. She felt a sharp sting on her cheek.

"A WEEK PEPPER? A WEEK!" Tony had slapped her. Pepper looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"You slapped me. Tony, you slapped me." She said. But, Tony's face didn't go down a shade of red. It seemed to get angrier.

"WHY WOULDN'T I? WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOU? WHAT IF YOU-" He sucked in a breath. He took Pepper's arms and gave a sharp tug. Pepper gasped and flew into his arms. Her head landed on his chest. He secured his lean arms around her. "What if you died Pepper. I don't want anything happening to you." He pulled away.

"I don't know who it is. I think someone was following me. I don't know if someone was, but I felt it as though someone was there."

…

Tony ended up searching nearly every street and police scanners for evidence of Pepper's "follower." Everything came up negative, and there seemed to be no sign of anyone. But Tony had no doubt that Pepper had been followed. He knew that feeling, it happened to him plenty of times before, and so he wasn't ready to give up just yet.

Suddenly, there was a boom, from outside the armory. And then a sharp ring that sounded familiarly like a gunshot. "Tony…" Pepper said getting up from her coach. She carefully backtracked from her spot and moved towards Tony.

Tony, however, got up and ran to his armor. He let the familiar red and gold suit mold onto his body. "Pepper get behind me!" He yelled at her. She did what she was told and cowered behind him, hoping to stay safe. The door kept making sounds, threatening to be broken if someone didn't stop it.

Suddenly, the door burst open and Tony had to blast at it to prevent the shards from hitting them. Then someone, huge and dark walked in. He was wearing complete black except for the small circular part on his chest, it was a red circle.

"Who are you?" Tony asked him, aiming his repulsor beam at him.

"I'm here for Patricia Anne Potts."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: SH

**All right! Here I am. Here it goes. Um, yes, I recently remembered that I had a computer downstairs that required that I typed something for a website (whatever website that is) that I am in. Strange that… Okay stop stalling. Yes… I've been missing in action… I… Just read.**

**Disclaimer: It has been a while Mr. Disclaimer. But one day…. One day…**

"You middle name is Anne?" Tony asked turning to Pepper. Her expression went from fear to complete disbelief.

"You're kidding right? You're seriously NOT asking me that while we are in the middle of an extreme to- the- death match?" Pepper retorted. Her face was still pale in fear, but she managed to remind Tony that this weird dude was still there.

"Right… Ahem." Tony turned back towards the creep. "Who are you?"

"Classified."

"Okay… Where are you from?"

"Classified."

"WHO DO YOU WORK FOR? And don't you dare say-" Tony warned.

"Classified." The man asked. He sounded like a robot, but Tony's sensors could say otherwise.

"Is there anything you can tell me that does not involve the word 'classified'?" Tony asked hoping that he would get a straight answer. He hated that about villains, or in this case, a creeper. They always find ways to avoid that conversation. Whether it is so that they don't get in trouble with the boss, or just because they just like annoying Iron Man. Either way, it always ended up annoying him.

"I'm here for her. And only her. I am authorized to maim, or kill, anyone who gets in my way." The man said his voice deadly calm. He reached behind his back at pulled out two double-edged swords. Something that struck Tony as "out of the ordinary." It wasn't that it wasn't scary, but no one really possessed swords in this… generation.

"Well, sorry buddy, there will be no- AHH!" Tony doubled over when the sword pierced into his armor. It, luckily, didn't go through his body, but it did graze his stomach, painfully might he add.

Tony stepped back and instinctively covered his abdomen with his hand. There wasn't blood, but Tony could tell that the cut was deep enough. "IRON MAN!" He heard Pepper cry. He held an arm out to keep her from coming any closer to the guy with the _now_ red tinged blades.

In response, the man spun his blades in his hands and held one out towards Pepper and had another one behind him. "I did not stab you, and for a reason. I don't wish to harm you for the girl. But continue smart talking me, and getting in my way, I will let these blades pierce right through your pathetic body."

Tony didn't take it offensively. He usually got that type of response from TONS of his enemies. But the power, and technique of the man did strike him. The guy was quick and graceful, much like a ninja. It only meant he was trained to kill, and trained to get whatever he needed to get.

Tony quickly looked into the air and pointed one of his hands. He shot a repulsor beam at the ceiling and made a distinct hole to the sky. "Pepper hold onto me." Tony said. She couldn't see his face, but she knew by his tone that Tony was not in the best of moods.

"You will not see daylight Iron Man. I shall hunt you and the girl to extinction. Best beware of your situation. Do what is best and easy for both of us. Hand over the girl." The man made a move closer to the two. Tony felt Pepper put her arms on his shoulder. His mind was clouded in fear, he knew what the creeper said was true. It was highly plausible that they wouldn't see daylight. That man would follow them until they would die.

"Sorry, but that's not an option." Tony put one hand behind his back on Pepper, and shot into the air. He cleared straight through the hole in the wall and he propelled himself forward with every ounce of energy he had.

Midflight, Tony spun so that Pepper could land in his arms. "You okay?" He asked. She nodded, but slowly.

"I don't know what to think. Luckily he didn't know that you were Iron Man. That would have made the situation a whole lot worse." Pepper said putting an arm around Tony's neck.

"Yeah. But I think he knows that I'm Tony Stark. That guy knows a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if he knew I was Iron Man. But, you're right. It would've made a whole new mess."

They ended up flying in silence for a while, Pepper would spring some random questions from time to time, but no one had the heart to give out some answers.

"Have you told Rhodey?" Pepper asked. Tony shook his head.

"I don't have to. Roberta and Rhodey are both with Mr. Rhodes at the military base. There is no way that they could get harmed. That guy can be a freaking ninja, but he can't get through the military base without being spotted. I think." Tony added with a shrug. "Right now, we have to hide. We have to wait until we know more. I can't just fight him every time, it won't do us any good."

"Right. But where will we go?" Pepper asked looking down at the ground. The cars looked like ants. It was pleasant flying in the air at this time. It was beautiful, a little cold, but still breath taking.

"I know a good warehouse. My dad started the company there. I thought it might be a good place to start." Tony said. He slowly started his descend flying down feet first. He hit the ground and set Pepper down next to him. He pushed the center of his chest and waited as the armor retracted back into his backpack. "It's not far. But I just didn't want to attract any attention."

…

After a good walk, a dark building loomed in the distance. Pepper trudged along she was pooped. It was the dead at night and all she wanted to do was sleep. "We aren't far now. Come on. Pepper?" Tony turned to see her slowly walking towards him. Her arms were hanging by her side, and her face was drawn and small. With a sigh he quickly scooped her into his arms and walked the rest of the way to the warehouse.

Once he got inside Pepper got down and thanked him. "I just needed to rest my legs for a while." She said. Looking around the open room she frowned. "What now?"

"Well we are kind of on the run right?" Tony asked. She nodded. "Yeah, so if I'm correct, my dad should have left his room and my room here. There is a bed, bathroom, and anything else we might think of." Tony added with a smile. He took her hand and led her to the flight of stairs that took them to the second and third floor.

After climbing the stairs Tony led her to the back of the factory. "This was 'command central' in a way. My dad monitored the factory through here. It was pretty hectic during the day so my dad set up… This." Tony explained. There were two rooms on either side of the command room. The one on the left was the exact same as the one on the right, but one of them had a desk full of inventions and scraps of metal.

"Wow. I'm guessing this is yours." Pepper said with a fake smile. She was nervous and tired, but she didn't want Tony to think that he was boring her.

"Yup. I got to use the scraps around the factory because my dad said that I would take over the company one day. But, I'll be sleeping here. You'll have my dad's room. Don't worry he barely slept in it." Tony said quickly changing the subject. He led Pepper to her room and opened the door.

There was a large mahogany framed queen bed that was in the middle of the room. There were matching nightstands on either side of the bed, both containing a lamp. Inside the drawers were profiles of projects and some books.

"It looks great. I just can't wait to sleep. Is there a bathroom by any chance?" She turned towards Tony. He nodded and pointed to a door that was on the right side of the bed.

"Right there. Just give me a holler if you need anything. I'll come and check on you once in a while. But if you hear anything, I don't care if it was a squeak, call me. I'm not taking any risks. We'll stay here until that guy finds us." Tony said. His blue eyes suddenly darkened to a dark purple.

"Where else would we go if he finds us?" Pepper asked. She hated the feeling of moving. She was used to it though. Her father always got sent to different parts of the country and different countries in the world. If he found another place to be more suitable, they would usually move there.

"My dad had tons of factories set up before this one. Many are in New York, and there are couples around the United States. I know all of them. Don't worry Pepper. I'll keep you safe." Tony waved a small goodnight and was about to leave when Pepper stopped him.

"Tony?"

"Yeah Pepper?" He turned; his hands were in his pockets.

"Do you mind if you stay in my room until… Until I sleep?" She asked turning her bag in her hands. Tony chuckled.

"Course. Get ready. I'm going to go get my armor."

…

After getting fresh, Pepper slipped into the well conditioned bed and snuggled in. Tony came in soon after, his backpack in one hand, and a couple of tools in the other.

"What's wrong with your armor?" Pepper asked. She completely forgot.

"You forgot? Um, well that guy's blade went right through it. Got me here too." Tony gestured to his stomach. He noticed her starting to get up but he put is hand out. "No. I'm okay now. I'm just surprised his blade did this though. I didn't think some stupid piece of metal could do this. But, what they heck." Tony shrugged.

"Are you okay though? Is the cut still there? Did you-" Pepper stopped.

"PEPPER! Jeez, I'm okay." Tony let out a loose laugh. "Go to bed. Okay? We'll talk about it tomorrow. I have to secure the warehouse and the perimeter tomorrow, and I'll need your help. You can't help if you're going to talk yourself to exhaustion. Sleep." Tony chuckled and pulled out a Philip's screwdriver. He winced when he bent over.

"What about you? Won't you sleep?" She asked. Pepper's eyes were getting heavy. She desperately wanted sleep to come, but her mind was floating with endless amounts of questions.

After her brain told her to freaking sleep, Pepper whispered goodnight to Tony and let her eyes close for a nice dreamless sleep.

**Yes! At last! Took me long enough. Okay… Well, please review! Y'all know the drill! **** See you on the next chapter! Or my other stories… or on your stories… or… You know what? I'm starting to become Pepper….**

**REVIEW! **


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